Forever My Weakness
by bffimagine
Summary: The great Hiei has one fatal weakness... a particular kitsune with flaming red hair and a deadly rosevine weapon.
1. Battle

Bffimagine: I knew I'd have to get around to one of these sometime. I love Hiei and Kurama!

Hiei: I knew authors were insane, but this is ridiculous…

Kurama: Lighten up, Hiei. She's not… that… bad…

"Kurama…"

"Hiei?"

Hiei shifted uncomfortably.

"This wasn't how I'd pictured you'd find out…"

"Find out what?"

Sharp, deep inhale.

"I need you, Kurama, in more ways than one."

Kurama smiled.

"Believe me, Hiei," he whispered into the smaller demon's ear, wrapping his arms around Hiei's slender waist, "I need you just as much."

'Ba-bump.' 'Ba-bump.' 'Ba-bump.'

Hiei's heart pounded uneasily against his ribs.

To put it simply, he was in pain. Pain so intense, so unbearable he couldn't even sit up.

'Waking from a dream like that…'

Hiei coughed and blood spattered into his hand.

'What happened?'

Tricklings of memory began to flow as Hiei tried his hardest to grasp the events from the day before…

(Flashback)

"Damn. So many of them…"

Hoards of demons surrounded Kurama, and he backed into a tree, no way of escape. A wound was oozing through the cloth of his clothing, and the other demons were at least quintuple his size and strength.

Just as he was about to submit, a black flash, a black _shadow,_ shot past him in a dark blur.

Instantaneously, every demon lay on the ground in pieces.

"H-Hiei?" Kurama looked up at his rescuer.

Hiei fared no better than he. His right wrist was twisted and his left are was obviously broken in two places. Blood trickled from his half-slit neck, and cuts covered the entirety of his body. His hair—normally jet-black with blue tips and a white starburst—was matted with still-wet blood. Face covered in blood and various cuts, Hiei's eyes had competition—crimson against crimson—with his blood to see which made his pale skin stand out more.

Though Hiei was normally thin and pale, he looked almost skeletal, his features slightly gaunt from blood loss.

"Get up, fox. More are coming."

Nodding quickly, Kurama stood. He noted a few breaks in Hiei's right leg, and a swollen, badly bruised left knee. By the way Hiei breathed, labored but as calm as he could muster, he could tell there were at least five broken ribs.

Fire incinerated the demons before they could step more than twenty meters within the perimeter of Kurama and Hiei.

Ice froze and killed the rest that were farther away.

Kurama noticed Hiei's youki was weak, flickering like a dying candle, just able to stay alight. He knew he had much more reserve of energy, but couldn't seem to move.

"We… have… to get… out… of… here…" Hiei quickly picked Kurama up and leapt off, flittering swiftly from tree to tree, light as a shadow on the ground.

Next thing Kurama knew, he was in his room. He heard the soft sound of Shiori's relaxed, sleeping breathing.

And Hiei was an exhausted, bloody body on the floor.

(End Flashback)

"Awake, Hiei? I told Yukina you were here."

Hiei could barely summon the energy to look at Kurama. He was so **_weak._**

"A-Arig-gato, Kurama."

"Just rest, Hiei. You took quite a bashing yesterday."

"Kurama?"

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

Kurama chuckled. 'He's always trying to be tough. But when it's just the two of us, he's so… cute.'

"Of course. I just had a minor cut. It's almost healed already. It's you I'm worried about. You were quite badly injured last night, not to mention you'd lost a lot of blood."

"I'm"—wince—"alright." Hiei pushed himself up, much to the consternation of his aching body, and managed to keep a straight face.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, Kurama gently pushed Hiei back down. He remembered how one night he had awoken after a battle…

(Flashback)

Kurama's emerald green eyes opened, red locks of hair in a mass of silken strands all over his face.

He felt less severe pain than the day before, and when he touched his face he felt soft bandages wrapped tightly over his skin. His fingers eventually checked to find out the extent of his injuries, only to find they had all been tended and neatly bandaged.

So to Kurama's delight, he could sit up without any agony.

Hiei's long, thin, pale fingers lay delicately on the side of his bed, and the little demon's head was resting upon his arms. He was kneeling at Kurama's bedside, sleeping soundly.

Running his fingers through Hiei's silky soft hair, he gently stroked the younger demon's face.

'Hiei did all of this… for me.'

(End Flashback)

Smiling slightly, just the upturn of the corners of his lips, Kurama pressed his palm flat against Hiei's chest, applying gentle pressure, until Hiei would stay down without struggling to get back up.

"KURAMA!"

Yusuke was knocking on Kurama's window and yelling frantically.

"Yusuke! You're so lucky my mother is out… otherwise she might've gone after you with the broom!" Kurama laughed light-heartedly as he opened the window.

"Kurama…" Yusuke gasped breathlessly, "We… can't… find… Hiei…"

Almost laughing at how Yusuke's words came between pants, Kurama motioned for Yusuke to climb through the window.

Strangely enough, Hiei had fallen asleep after he struggled against Kurama's hand, simply too tired and weak to keep fighting.

"What's he doin' in YOUR room, Kurama?" Yusuke asked sarcastically, as if he thought something was going on.

"Hiei always visits me during the evening, before I go to bed. Only this time, he _carried _me to bed…" Kurama smirked at his choice of words.

Yusuke raised an eyebrow.

"Remember the scuffle we got into last night? I was injured and Hiei had to practically DRAG me home." Kurama felt like he was spelling out the word 'orange' to an adult.

"Oh. So there's nothing… _between _you two, is there?"

"Not that I know of."

"Righty. Well, the toddler needs us at the old hag's place, so you two'd better hop to it!" Yusuke bounded out of Kurama's window and off into the distance.

Shaking his head and smiling, Kurama gently brushed some stray strands of dark hair from Hiei's face.

"Looks like I'm going to have to carry _you_ this time, Hiei."

Carefully picking up the younger demon, Kurama shut his window with his foot and scribbled at note to Shiori, which he left on the kitchen counter on his way out the door.

On the beginning of the rather long walk to Genkai's, Kurama felt Hiei snuggle closer into his chest and nuzzle his nose into the crook of his neck. Kurama smiled and continued walking. 'Hiei is just so _cute…_'

Around three o'clock, Kurama and Hiei finally reached Genkai's, Hiei still in Kurama's arms, face nuzzled into the kitsune's neck.

"KURAMA! HIEI! WHAT TOOK YA?" Kuwabara yelled over the others' heads.

Hiei stirred. And Kurama gently relaxed him, and approached the group slowly.

"Is Hiei in bad condition?" Botan inquired thoughtfully. Although she should've known the answer with just one simple glance at the small, injured demon in Kurama's arms.

"What's with carrying the lil' shrimp anyway?" Kuwabara scoffed rudely.

Kurama's hair seemed to stand on end for a moment.

"Hiei is injured," Kurama said dryly. He sat with the utmost care, crossing his legs in front of him. Very slowly he shifted Hiei so his friend's head was resting in his lap, and the Jaganshi's sleeping face was looking up at Kurama.

"We can see that," Koenma rolled his eyes at Kuwabara's stupidity.

"Alright, pacifier-kid, hurry up and explain everything already." Yusuke was eyeing Kurama and Hiei almost… suspiciously?

"Well," Genkai began, "Obviously, Yusuke has improved greatly from when I first began training him. And now it's time to put his improvement to the test with a more… _challenging _mission."

"Though I believe Kurama and Hiei can sit this one out, seeing as they're both injured quite badly…"

Hiei seemed to have heard this. His blood red eyes shot open, and he blushed very slightly at his position. He sat up, stood, and looked down at Koenma.

'Ah, he's so cute when he blushes,' Kurama thought.

"I won't be sitting ANYTHING out, as long as blood runs through my veins and life flows through my body." Hiei had an air of defiance in his ki, making his aura turn a shade more orange.

"Uhm… I'd advise you do sit this one out, since Kurama had to carry you here…" Koenma was flustered and obviously scared, even though he and the others knew VERY well Hiei would never even _BREATHE _betrayal. He had proved his loyalty in Suzaku's lair, and again during the Dark Tournament. And his loyalty ran deepest with Kurama, whom he wouldn't _dream_ of betraying.

"Kurama need not have… exerted himself," Hiei blushed slightly again, making Kurama smirk in the least, "He could've just woken me up."

'But you're just so ADORABLE when you're sleeping…' Kurama's smirk became a little bit more prominent.

'Kurama really does do too much for me… His kindness will prove his demise someday, though it won't if I can help it…' Hiei sighed and sat back down.

A moment of silence washed over the small ruler, elderly trainer, and team Urameshi.

'If you only knew how much I loved you.' Hiei and Kurama thought simultaneously as their eyes met, blood crimson to emerald green.

Yusuke looked slightly upset. He stood up abruptly and walked out of the room.

Kuwabara watched in wonderment as Yusuke left. His gaze fell on Hiei, then averted to Kurama, then eventually panned over the other occupants of the room, and fell on Yukina. Then all the rest of the people fell away in the human's mind.

"Brother… I want you to listen to Koenma-sama," Yukina tugged at Hiei's sleeve.

Hiei's head lowered, but he didn't respond.

"I think Yukina is right, Hiei. You're just not _up _to fighting." Kurama gently raised Hiei's gaze to match his own by putting two fingers underneath the hiyoukai's chin.

"Hn. I'm fine." Hiei pushed Kurama's hand away weakly.

Again, Kuwabara looked from Kurama to Hiei, then back again. He blinked oddly and shrugged.

"The shrimp can take care of 'imself," he finally implored.

"I don't doubt that," Botan uttered, "But I do doubt he can fight in his weakened state."

"That's enough," Hiei snapped, stalking out of the room.

"Just like those baka ningens," he muttered on his way out.

"HIEI!"

Hiei whipped around at the sound of Kurama's distant voice. Instantly, the kitsune was beside him.

'Why are you so kind, Kurama?' Hiei sighed.

"You aren't up to this, Hiei, and you know it." Kurama pulled Hiei into a nearby shelter of foliage. In it was a small clearing full of fragrant flowers and blades of lush green grass.

"No, I—" Hiei mentally cursed as he felt his broken leg give way beneath him and his body fall forward.

Kurama caught him quickly and lowered him slowly to the ground before sitting down beside him.

"No, you're not going to fight or take on this mission with Yusuke. I'll make sure of that." Kurama absentmindedly stroked the bandana covering Hiei's Jagan.

"But…"

"I won't let you kill yourself." Kurama smiled despite his words.

"Ano… Thank you, Kurama."

"Daijobu. Do you need anything? I would understand if you were hungry…" Kurama reached into his pocket.

"No. I'm just… tired…" Hiei gave up. The strength he tried with much difficulty to _have_ left him in an instant, and he fell against Kurama, head pillowed on the taller youkai's shoulder.

"Hai… then rest."

Instead of food, Kurama pulled out a book from his pocket and began to read as Hiei's labored breathing became slightly more relaxed and even.

bffimagine: I thought that was a one-shot there… dun dun dun duuuuun… What will happen to Hiei? Why won't he and Kurama stop being FOOLS? C'mon, you and I BOTH know they're just GUSHY over each other!

Hiei: How would any of you have found THAT out?

Bffimagine: -.-' Wow… we're all SHERLOCK HOLMES! (sweatdrop)

Kurama: Ah, the famous detective. I read all the books about him! It's great to meet you all in PERSON!

Bffimagine: -.-' Ah well. REVIEW.


	2. Rescue Mission

Bffimagine: Alright… New chappie and all!

Hiei: I hope there's a PLOT in this one?

Bffimagine: O.o I kinda think that's the point -.-'

Kurama: Nothing makes sense in the ningenkai anymore…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"URAMESHI!"

The spirit detective cringed.

"What is it, Kuwabara? Yer yellin' an' all." Yusuke knew his speech sounded slightly slurred; he wasn't much paying attention to what he was saying.

"Lil' Koenma dude sent me up here to get you. We're goin on another mission!"

"Ugh. Be right down."

'Do Kurama and Hiei…'

Yusuke shook his head fervently and trotted off after Kuwabara.

"What is it, toddler?" Yusuke was in the least surprised Hiei and Kurama were there, but made quite sure his face didn't show it.

"You're mission starts today. It's rather straightforward; infiltrate enemy fortress, destroy all who get in the way, get all information from enemy then wipe him out."

"Okay… sounds easy enough," Kuwabara said as if he were counting his fingers.

"All you need to get from him is the place they took Botan."

"BOTAN? But… wasn't she right here…" Yusuke's head whipped around the room incredulously. There was NO Botan.

"They kidnapped her? From when?" Kurama ignored Yusuke and looked down at Koenma, also skeptical about the matter.

"Oh… around… three hours after you left yesterday."

Hiei shook his head.

'Baka…'

"So all we have to do is basically get her back and kill all the demons holding any information about her whereabouts and any involved in this issue?" Hiei concluded.

"Yes."

"Did ya PLAN all this, little guy?"Kuwabara accused threateningly.

"No. Genkai and I just said you needed a more challenging mission and led you on to thinking we HAD one, but we didn't. Then this came up… golden opportunity."

Yusuke fell back onto his head with an audible 'FWAP'.

"We'd better be off," Kurama turned and he and Hiei left the room.

Genkai, who had been silent the whole time, whispered into Koenma's ear, "Interesting that they'd want Botan at all… ne Koenma? And it's actually giving Yusuke a work out… only thing is, why _does _Koronosuke want her in the first place?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"How long have we been walking for?" Kuwabara whined.

"Three minutes." Yusuke sighed; never take Kuwabara on long trips by foot.

"We'll go maybe… ten miles then take a break," Kurama calculated, taking a tentative glance at Hiei.

"Is that far?" Kuwabara complained again.

"It's half way there," Hiei closed off.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Team Urameshi walked in silence for half an hour.

"Have we gotten farther?" Kuwabara piped in again.

"Yes."

"How much farther?"

"We've gone two miles."

For the rest of the journey, Kuwabara miraculously kept quiet.

And it was almost dusk when they had reached ten miles from Genkai's house.

"We aren't making very good time," Yusuke muttered, "It's been a day and we've only gotten ten miles."

"Kurama and I could scope ahead," Hiei offered, obviously impatient to finish the assignment as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Nodding, the kistune showed his agreement.

"Stay together… no, we have to stay as a team."

"Then we'll have to set camp here." Kuwabara chimed happily, plopping down onto the soft, moss-covered ground.

"I suppose we will," Kurama sighed softly. Hiei sat gracefully—as he was with all his movements—and closed his eyes.

Emerald eyes peered at Hiei with concern. Kurama had noticed a definite sway in the half-koorime hiyoukai, and not as much aura radiated off of him.

"Oi! Hiei! Start this fire for me!" Yusuke was standing over a neatly arranged pile of tinder, wood and kindling.

Hiei obviously didn't have enough youki, ki, or reiki to summon anything, but not wanting to appear weak, he did as he was told, sending a bright golden spark at the flammable objects. Immediately it burst into flames, and the hanyou smiled triumphantly at him.

"Thanks."

Kuwabara had fallen asleep long ago, slumped onto the moss without poise or structure. Yusuke shifted closer to where Kurama was seated and where Hiei was lying on the ground.

"Hey, listen," Yusuke whispered to them both. Hiei's ears pricked up, but he didn't move, and Kurama looked at Yusuke unblinkingly.

"Kurama… I know you have the hots for Hiei. And obviously, Hiei has a thing for you as well, so I don't wanna break you guys up or anything. It's just…" Yusuke trailed off as soon as he saw two pairs of youkai eyes staring at him, both the size of extremely large dinner plates.

"Aw, c'mon. It's so OBVIOUS that you guys are IN LOVE with each other!" Yusuke whisper-shouted.

A tense moment passed, as Hiei and Kurama looked at each other, then back to Yusuke, then to each other. Finally they turned away from each other and blushed.

"Uh… anyway, since you two may as well be a couple now, I think I deserve a 'thank you' for playing matchmaker, because believe me fox-boy, you ain't the only one that thinks Hiei's beautiful." Yusuke flushed but Hiei just blushed even harder.

"Yusuke…" Kurama began.

"Thank you." Hiei breathed, half an utter of disbelief that Yusuke did in fact love him, but also that Kurama did as well.

Yusuke smiled down at them.

"Well, I'm gonna go to sleep now. You two… just don't kill each other by morning." Yusuke winked and walked a little farther away to settle down. He was sleeping in seconds.

"Kurama?" Hiei's hoarse whisper made Kurama's ears twitch. Both demons knew their acute senses were much to their advantage… well, most of the time.

"Hai? What is it?"

"Aishiteru."

Although he'd been waiting for this since he had first lain eyes on Hiei, Kurama was speechless. On one hand, he felt like just melting into a gooey puddle on the floor, and on another hand, he wanted to grab Hiei and just make sweet, sweet love to him.

"Aishiteru, Hiei."

The corners of Hiei's lips were tugged upwards into a small, bittersweet smile.

Rough, ragged breathing was all Kurama heard as he fell asleep. He knew Hiei was in pain; there was a sway in the younger youkai's steps. And he would NEVER have obliged to Yusuke if it weren't for weakness and fatigue. The trip was much to trying for Hiei in his condition.

'Good night, my Hiei.'

Kurama chuckled at his statement, very softly.

'MY Hiei.'

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Quiet dawn light spilled over the horizon, dim yet brightly colored in warm, soft oranges, yellows, reds and pinks, like oil paints slathered over blank canvas, dripping onto the trees and grasses in small trickles as to only kiss the surface.

"Rise and shine, Kurama."

Kurama stifled a yawn and blinked as he woke. From where he was lying, he was staring straight into Hiei's bold, crimson eyes.

"Ohyahou ne, koi. Aishiteru." (A/N: MY FIRST ALL-JAPANESE SENTENCE!) Kurama sat up and smiled brightly at the younger demon.

"Aishiteru… koi." The last words were foreign but sweet on Hiei's tongue, satin sliding past his lips.

The two demons gazed adoringly into each others' eyes for a second, then reluctantly broke away to set at the task before them.

Rousing Kuwabara and Yusuke.

"WAKE UP YUSUKE!"

Yusuke woke with a violent start.

"Oh, it's only you two. How do you wake up so—" YAWN "—Early?"

"How do we wake the baka?" Hiei scoffed and pointed at Kuwabara.

"Simple." Evil smirk.

Grabbing the ash from the fire, Yusuke loomed menacingly over Kuwabara.

"AGH! THE SKY IS FALLING!" he mocked Yukina's melodic voice almost perfectly—making Hiei twitch—and threw the ash all over Kuwabara. The ningen quickly shot up and swept Yusuke off his feet, saying heroically, "I'll save you Yukina!"

Then he realized what happened, and a series of whacks and punches and smacks were delivered.

Finally, team Urameshi began to move again.

Hiei and Kurama walked in the front, and Yusuke and Kuwabara lagged a good five or so feet behind them.

"Kurama… I sense some sort of foreboding aura. We should send the ningen and Yusuke farther back so we can divert the you-kais. Their aura is formidable… I can tell they will be able to overwhelm us within seconds." Hiei looked up as Kurama seriously.

The kitsune's face reflected the solemn, thoughtful look on Hiei's features.

"Yes. Yusuke needs to survive to find the oar girl…" Kurama's ears gave a small twinge, "And even though we can probably take these demons out… there are about twenty or so of them, and they are all powerful. Hiei, you should go with them."

"Of course not. I have to make sure you don't die, fox."

"No. I wouldn't be able to live with myself anyway if you died."

"And you think I'd be able to live a life without you?" the most sincere, heart-melting look of love was in Hiei's eyes, and Kurama couldn't help but lean closer to the hiyoukai/koorime's beautiful face and seal his lips with a kiss.

Hiei's lips were soft and warm, as were Kurama's. The kiss was chaste, gentle, but it held the full love of both youkai.

"Be careful," Hiei whispered candidly.

"Same to you. We'd better send them on… I think if we send them a little off to the left then they'll find Botan eventually, though it may take a little bit longer."

Nodding, Hiei seemed to disappear and reappear behind Yusuke and Kuwabara, who had dragged quite far behind.

"Kurama and I found that it's a dead end where we've gotten to. Move on to the left, then just keep going. Here…"

Hiei whipped out a piece of paper and a thin piece of coal he had salvaged from the last fire. Quickly, he drew a magnificent picture of the woods, and clearly marked their path. Yusuke took a look at it and gaped at its accuracy.

"I'll go get Kurama now. We'll meet up with you at the fortress."

With that, the small demon disappeared.

Shrugging, Kuwabara and Yusuke trudged on in the new direction.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"They've gone," Hiei whispered quietly.

"And _they_ think we're walking right into their trap," Kurama had the slightest trace of a smile on his lips after he referred to the demons waiting to ambush them.

Both youkai held a quiet conversation only they could hear with their incredibly sharp senses. They also kept a sharp eye out for any signs of other demons.

'Here it comes…' the kitsune and half-koorime thought in unison.

Several powerful demons bounded out of the nearby undergrowth. They slid behind Kurama and Hiei with neck-breaking speed, ready to cut both demons clear in half.

"I'm not that easy to kill…" Hiei smirked and disappeared with blinding swiftness. He appeared behind another demon, watching Kurama out of the corner of his eye.

"Don't blink!" Hiei shouted as he lopped the head off one of the demons. Another took its place and sank its claws into Hiei's back.

Not a sound escaped Hiei's lips, though blood spattered out of his mouth. His partially healed wounds ripped open again.

"This one's already wounded!" the demon shrieked shrilly, followed by an unearthly chorus of high-pitched squeals of delight.

Kurama had estimated incorrectly.

There were over a hundred demons.

"Stand back, Kurama!" Hiei hollered, making sure Kurama took cover. Once the red-headed fox was out of his attack radius, Hiei let off a wave of blazing fire that instantly charred about fifteen demons, wounding twenty others.

But the demons refused to die. Instead they grew themselves out of their blood and remains, becoming more and more powerful each time.

'DAMN!' Hiei dodged quickly, but his broken legs swayed violently underneath him. His arms moved unsteadily, as both had been crushed under another enemy's attack.

Every part of Hiei had been cut and ripped and crushed and torn. He couldn't even stand.

"K-Kurama…" his voice was weak and tired, but Kurama picked up on it right away.

"Go far, far away from here."

Shaking his head, Kurama's eyes met Hiei's.

"I can't leave you here."

"Then… I'll just… send you off…" Hiei's bloody lips were tugged into a slight smirk.

"What—"

Kurama never finished his sentence. Hiei had expended most of the reserve of youki he had left to transport him to Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"Aishiteru."

The soft whispered phrase was the last Kurama heard of Hiei's voice.

"HIEI!"

"Dragon Fist of the OVERLORD!"

Hiei's demon fire was summoned solely with his reiki, and it killed all the demons in an instant, killing them beyond death to a point where they couldn't regenerate or come back to life. But it also burned Hiei since he didn't have the youki to protect himself, and had to coat his skin in a thin layer of frost to prevent himself from bursting into flames and being cremated alive… or half-alive…

The faint traces of energy Hiei had left dissipated, and he fell to the ground in a pool of crimson. He was thankful for his koorime blood.

Poisoned, injured, Hiei lay on the ground, knowing he had no youki left and barely any reiki. His aura had become cold around him. Cold and black. His life energy seeped out with all his blood, and the crimson eyes closed.

With the last ounce of energy, Hiei opened the Jagan to see Kurama one last time.

"Aishiteru…"

Hiei willed a kiss to Kurama's lips, the collapsed completely, a single Hiroseki tear falling into the pool he was lying in.

Tears streamed over Kurama's cheeks, and mingled with his blood. He had a disgusting wound from a demon's hand going straight through his lower abdomen, and his shoulder had been slashed. But otherwise he was fine, since Hiei did most of the fighting and took most of Kurama's blows, taking the damage aimed for the kitsune.

"H-Hiei…"

Crystalline water splashed against the ground. The flowers around gently cried, mourning Kurama's grievous loss.

"Kurama?"

Eyes greener than the lush rolling hills in the Reikai Tantei looked up at Yusuke, lined with tears waiting to be shed.

"Y-Yusuke…H-Hiei…" Kurama couldn't finish.

"I could feel his energy a few seconds ago," Yusuke looked sad, "But… then… it just… went… kaput. It disappeared completely."

"No…" Kurama fell to his knees, face buried in his hands.

"No…"

Yusuke wrapped a comforting arm around his friend.

Kuwabara looked confused.

"What about the little shrimp?"

"H-Hiei… he's… he's… d-dead…" Kurama choked and began to sob.

The orange-haired ningen froze.

"Yukina… she'll be heartbroken…" Kuwabara breathed, pupils becoming dilated.

Pain… it was unbearable. But it wasn't from the wounds. Kurama knew it wasn't from the wounds. It felt as if… as if his heart had been ripped from his body and shredded by Hiei's sword, then repeatedly shot by Yusuke's reigun.

'Hiei: he felt his life was not as important to him as the lives of his friends and sister. He would do anything to protect those close to him, even die. He hid his emotions, and his self-esteem was low, although he would only fight those better than him as opposed to making himself larger than others. He… he didn't show it, but he thought himself very lowly. Yet he was so good at not showing it… almost no one noticed. He was so embittered by such a sorrowful past… he close to never spoke of it. He held his friends and family… and _me_, in such high regard, he'd do almost anything for us. And now… now he's gone…' Kurama's eyes glazed over stonily. The thoughts in his head reeled over and over again.

"Aishiteru… Hiei."

Kurama's whisper wafted loftily on the wind, and his quiet, melancholy voice caressed the air.

"I can still smell his blood," Yusuke murmured softly, "We can track him down. There's a chance we can revive him."

Nodding, Kurama wiped his tears and stood. Kuwabara snapped out of his 'oh-my-god-what-am-I-going-to-tell-Yukina' trance and the trio set off, following Yusuke and Kurama's leads.

'We'll find you, koishi, and I will make sure you come back to me.'

"I sense Hiei's presence… only it's too cold to be him…" Kuwabara shivered visibly.

"Then… he really IS gone…" Tears threatened to fall again, but Kurama sniffled discretely and shook off the urge to cry.

"But he's actually not far… I think if we just go through this forest here…" Yusuke closed his eyes and shot a bright, but small, ball of reiki through the dense thicket of trees. With the spark he saw the end, and ran right toward it.

Long, red hair trailed after Kurama as he ran through the trees. The smell of blood was getting stronger…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

bffimagine: So far I didn't leave a cliffie, so I decided I'd better put one in…

Kurama: Ningens are very difficult to understand…

Hiei: And you never believed me before…

Bffimagine: As the boys go and debate over my comprehensibility, REVIEW!


	3. Bittersweet Farewells

Bffimagine: BACK!

Hiei: Oh no…

Twigs snapped under the rapidly moving feet of Yusuke, Kurama and Kuwabara. Kurama knew Hiei was close, since he only diverted Kuwabara and Yusuke a little off to the right in the first place.

'Almost… there…'

Driven by newfound adrenaline, Kurama pushed forward with a spurt of speed, dragging Yusuke and Kuwabara by the arm.

'I'm coming, Hiei.'

The birds peeped happily in the trees, bittersweet contrast to Kurama's pained heart. Such a quaint, grassy clearing, void of impurity… small, colourful blossoms on the trees, little flowers adorning the grass…

And Hiei's lifeless body lying in a pool of relentlessly crimson blood.

Kurama fell to his knees beside his lover. He scooped the fragile body into his arms, pressing Hiei to him, cradling the hiyoukai to his chest. The koorime's eyes stayed closed, and his naturally pale skin was stark white in contrast to his dark hair.

"C-Can we save him?" Kurama's voice was muffled by Hiei's shoulder; the kitsune had buried his face into the crook of the younger demon's neck, the cold skin of the small youkai touching the nape of Kurama's neck.

"I-I don't know," Yusuke replied, biting his lip. He turned to Kuwabara, silently pleading, 'Help him!'

It was tempting. Kuwabara wanted to just say 'no, I can't do it,' and face Yukina's wrath. But then a tiny, sparkly object shone from the pool of blood.

"Kurama… what's that?" Kuwabara pointed to the beautiful… thing…

The redheaded demon pulled his head up, almost reluctantly, and looked. The little sparkle of the shiny jewel caught his eye. He reached for it, and though his fingers shook, his lips were set and didn't tremble as he thought they would. Slowly, his fingertips closed around the beautiful gem, and when he realized what it was, he pulled Hiei closer to him and cried.

"I-It's a H-Hiroseki s-stone," he sobbed, "H-Hiei c-cried…"

Wet, salty trails of tears were evident on Yusuke's cheeks. He sniffed and pursed his lips, clamping down on them to prevent any sobs from escaping.

"An aura transfusion… will it work?" Kuwabara looked hopefully from Yusuke to Kurama.

"I don't know… but probably not the way it worked for me…" Yusuke's chocolate brown gaze was set on Kurama.

"No… it won't work. Hiei needs demon energy, but I don't have enough to begin a transfusion, and if something isn't done within _five minutes, _we'll lose Hiei forever."

"Five minutes? But… who do we know that would have enough energy to transfuse, and be willing to—?" Kuwabara fought the urge to wring his hands.

"Wait… I'm a quarter demon. Will I work?" Yusuke gave a questioning glance to Kurama.

"Perhaps. But Yusuke… please, HURRY." Kurama stood, Hiroseki stone clenched in one hand and Hiei in his arms.

Carefully, Kurama set Hiei in Yusuke's arms, the small demon light and delicate.

"Here goes nothing…" Yusuke opened a channel to let his reiki flow into Hiei.

At first, nothing happened and Kurama's heart sunk. Though disheartened as well, Yusuke kept at work, and finally, a flicker of aura ignited around Hiei.

"His aura… it's returning…" Kurama's eyes filled with tears of happiness.

"His reiki and youki are returning as well. I can feel his energy again…" Kuwabara was extremely elated; not only did the most powerful member of team Urameshi survive, but also he wouldn't have to face that member's enraged twin sister.

Yusuke wobbled slightly at the sudden drain, but he knew he still had quite a lot of reiki in reserve. He let just a little bit more flow into Hiei to ensure his survival, then stopped the reiki from running. Hiei's injuries had healed somewhat, and all traces of the poison disappeared.

"Hiei!"

Kurama took the beautiful—and now alive—demon into his arms and pulled him close to his heart.

"… Kurama… were you… really… scared… you'd… lose me?" Hiei's voice was soft and weak against Kurama's ear.

"Petrified."

"I… I was… afraid… I'd… lose… you. Kitsune…"

Kurama smiled and kissed Hiei's forehead. The demon had regained his heat.

"You're my hiyoukai, Hiei. My koorime."

"Aishiteru, Kurama."

Kurama nodded invisibly.

"Hai… Aishiteru, Hiei."

A small smile tugged at Hiei's lips.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Yusuke snickered good-naturedly. Hiei blinked at him for a second.

"Yusuke?"

"The one and only!"

"Where's—?"

"Right here, koishii." Kurama leant over the edge of the bed and kissed Hiei gently, pressing his lips firmly onto the other demon's.

"Onii-san!"

Yukina burst into the room, and Kurama pulled away quickly.

Hiei flinched slightly in pain when Yukina grabbed him and squeezed him tightly.

"Aa, good to see you too, anue-chan," Hiei gasped. His lungs were being quite constricted by his sister's embrace.

Kurama quickly caught the pleading look in Hiei's eyes and approached Yukina.

"Yukina-chan, I believe your brother needs to breathe, ne?"

Yukina immediately let go of Hiei.

"Otouto! Gomen nasai!" she checked over Hiei. His wounds hadn't yet healed, but were beginning to. His lack of energy slowed his healing, and he was progressing at the rate of an ordinary human.

"I can help with that," she chimed merrily, her melodic voice soothing and kind.

Hiei stiffened slightly when Yukina's cold fingers touched his skin, but the koorime in him allowed him to become accustomed to it quite fast.

"All better, onii-san!" Yukina clapped her hands and smiled. Hiei nodded.

"Arigato gozaimasu, Yukina."

Standing, Hiei wobbled a bit but then regained his usual grace and balance, elegant poise returning abruptly.

"Let's go," Yusuke piped up, "Koenma will be happy to find out the mission was successful."

"Successful? You got oar-woman back?" Hiei looked at Kurama inquisitively. The fox demon nodded.

"RIGHT HERE!" Botan yelled cheerfully. She popped out from behind Koenma.

"Hello… Botan…" Hiei did a mental check of the guide in front of him. She looked the same… only a tad bit more annoying…

"Good work, team Urameshi. If it weren't for you guys killing those demons… Botan here would be toast." Koenma beamed around the pacifier in his mouth.

Hiei shuddered, the cold feeling of Yukina's fingers still on his skin. He let his aura warm him up.

"Anyway, it turned out that this Koronosuke dude needed Botan to lead his son over the Sanzu River safely, but he certainly had a lot of goons. I tested out my new reiki techniques and blew 'em all to kingdom come, got Botan and dashed outta there. The Koronosuke dude was powerful for a regular demon but Genkai had taught me this wicked reiki bomb and Botan ended up leadin' all of 'em to the Underworld." Yusuke grinned after his long-winded explanation.

"I hope… it was _challenging_ enough," Genkai sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I'd say so," Kuwabara laughed, slapping Yusuke on the back, "Urameshi passed out as soon as we got back with Botan! Keiko had to watch him 'cuz he slept for five hours!"

"Best be off, then," Kurama smiled and waved.

Hiei nodded.

"Sayonara, Yusuke. Ja ne," Hiei said his swift goodbyes and left.

"BYE HIEI! SEE YA KURAMA!" Yusuke yelled to the retreating backs of the youkai.

"Sayonara, onii-san!"

"Bye Shrimp! Later Kurama!"

"See you both soon." Genkai and Koenma waved.

The stars twinkled giddily in the sky.

Kurama and Hiei lay in the grassy clearing, side by side, watching as the sky rolled by. Their fingers were entwined as they looked up at the dark canvas littered with stars.

"Aishiteru," Hiei whispered as he shifted. Now his new position was lying with his head on Kurama's chest, fingers still laced with the kitsune's.

"Aishiteru," Kurama replied sweetly, softly caressing Hiei's cheek with his other hand.

Under the quiet night sky, the two youkai lovers fell asleep in each others' embrace.

()

OWARITA DESU

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bffimagine: Done! Seemed a little short…

Hiei: Not at all. It was as long and grueling as I could imagine…

Kurama: It wasn't… unenjoyable…

Bffimagine: All right, review! Flames are retarded, but if you feel you must… whatever.


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